University of Arkansas is a public institution that was founded in 1871. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 20,350, its setting is urban, and the campus size is 510 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. University of Arkansas's ranking in the 2014 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, 128. Its in-state tuition and fees are $7,818 (2013-14); out-of-state tuition and fees are $19,074 (2013-14).

The University of Arkansas, or U of A, is a public institution located in the city of Fayetteville, in the northwest corner of the state. Students at the University of Arkansas can choose from about 200 fields of study, with graduate degrees available in the Sam M. Walton College of Business, the College of Engineering, the School of Law, and other fields. U of A students can get involved on campus through several student organizations and media opportunities, including two radio stations and a student newspaper that’s been around for more than a century. The Office of Student Activities at U of A plans several free events for students, including concerts featuring Grammy winners such as John Mayer, and lectures by prominent figures such as former President George H.W. Bush.

Students who want to venture off the University of Arkansas campus can visit the nearby Ozark National Forest and Buffalo National River or take a weekend trip to Dallas, Memphis, or St. Louis, which are each about 300 miles away. Student athletes can join recreational sports or one of the nearly 20 University of Arkansas Razorbacks varsity teams, which compete in the NCAA Division I Southeastern Conference. Notable U of A past faculty include Bill and Hillary Clinton, who each taught in the law school a few decades before landing in the White House, and famed alumni include Charles Portis, who penned the western novel, True Grit.

School mission and unique qualities (as provided by the school):
Guided by a "Students First!" philosophy, the University of Arkansas offers high-caliber teaching and hands-on research experiences to both undergraduate and graduate students on a beautiful campus nestled in the heart of the Ozark Mountains. The University of Arkansas is flourishing and offering expanded opportunities for research and study abroad thanks to a $1 billion capital campaign completed in 2005. Today, the university is experiencing record growth, with enrollment climbing to more than 24,500 students. The University has made investments of more than $1.3 billion in new construction, major renovations and facilities enhancements since 2000. The university enjoys high rankings for programs ranging from architecture, ranked 8th among the nation's public institutions in 2013, to the Sam M. Walton College of Business, ranked 27th among the nation's public business colleges, to the School of Law, ranked 36th among public law schools in the U.S. The Walton College is also ranked No. 1 in the nation for fulltime MBA graduates employed at graduation. In 2011 the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching elevated the University of Arkansas to the highest possible classification. The university is among the top 2 percent of schools nationwide - one of just 108 - to be placed in this highest category, which is defined as a doctoral-granting research university with very high levels of research activity. Recent academic initiatives include a new department of supply chain management, a new department of biomedical engineering and a new undergraduate minor in sustainability that has united students from across campus on projects such as a new campus community garden. A $300 million gift from the Walton Family Charitable Support Foundation, the largest on record to a public university, established 150 new endowed chairs and professorships. The Walton gift also endowed 241 graduate fellowships and created the Honors College, whose undergraduate students benefit from 350 fellowships and a generous endowment for research and study abroad. Honors programs are offered in all disciplines, tailored to students' academic interests, with interdisciplinary collaborations encouraged. Thanks to the 6:1 ratio of honors students to honors faculty, Honors College students enjoy multiple opportunities to explore substantive questions with the university's most research-active professors. University of Arkansas students have won a substantial number of nationally and internationally prestigious scholarships, awards and fellowships throughout its history, including 48 Goldwater Scholars, 62 NSF Graduate Research Fellowships, 50 Fulbright Scholars, 17 Truman Scholars, 6 Marshall Scholars, 4 Madison Scholars, 3 Gates Cambridge Scholars, 7 Udall Scholars, 10 Rhodes Scholars and a Pickering Fellowship, among many others. These honors provide significant financial support to the university's students: in 2012-13 alone, they received more than $2.4 million in awards and scholarships. Since its founding, the University of Arkansas has compiled a remarkable record of scientific, technological, intellectual and creative accomplishment. This accomplishment is exemplified by the late U.S. Senator J. William Fulbright, a Rhodes Scholar as a student and eventual president of the university (1939-41). As a member of the U.S. Senate, in 1946 Fulbright authored what became known as the Fulbright Program, the highly competitive, merit-based international educational exchange program for scholars, students, educators, artists and professionals. The U of A boasts one of the most unique traditions found on any college or university campus: Senior Walk, consisting of more than six miles of sidewalks crisscrossing campus that are engraved with the names of more than 160,000 graduates, dating back to 1876. It's concrete proof of the university's commitment to students.

General Information

School type	public, coed college
Year founded	1871
Religious affiliation	N/A
Academic calendar	semester
Setting	city
2012 Endowment	$770,550,000

Applying
When applying to University of Arkansas, it's important to note the application deadline is August 1, and the early action deadline is November 1. Scores for either the ACT or SAT test are due August 1. The application fee at University of Arkansas is $40. It is selective, with an acceptance rate of 63.5 percent and an early acceptance rate of 79.3 percent.
 

Selectivity	selective
Fall 2012 acceptance rate	63.5%
Application deadline	August 1
SAT/ACT scores must be received by	August 1

Academic Life
The student-faculty ratio at University of Arkansas is 19:1, and the school has 35.6 percent of its classes with fewer than 20 students. The most popular majors at University of Arkansas include: Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services; Engineering; Social Sciences; Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs; and Health Professions and Related Programs. The average freshman retention rate, an indicator of student satisfaction, is 82.5 percent.

Class sizes
Student-faculty ratio	19:1
4-year graduation rate	35%
Five most popular majors for 2012 graduates
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services 24% Engineering 9% Social Sciences 7% Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs 6% Health Professions and Related Programs 6%

Student Life
University of Arkansas has a total undergraduate enrollment of 20,350, with a gender distribution of 49.9 percent male students and 50.1 percent female students. At this school, 27 percent of the students live in college-owned, -operated, or -affiliated housing and 73 percent of students live off campus. University of Arkansas is part of the NCAA I athletic conference.

Total enrollment	24,537
Student gender distribution
Undergraduate men who are members of a fraternity
Undergraduate women who are members of a sorority
Collegiate athletic association	NCAA I

Campus Info & Services
University of Arkansas offers a number of student services including nonremedial tutoring, placement service, day care, health service, and health insurance. University of Arkansas also offers campus safety and security services like 24-hour foot and vehicle patrols, late night transport/escort service, 24-hour emergency telephones, lighted pathways/sidewalks, student patrols, and controlled dormitory access (key, security card, etc). Of the students at University of Arkansas, 55 percent have cars on campus. Alcohol is permitted for students of legal age at University of Arkansas.

Students who have cars on campus	55%
Health insurance offered	Yes

Paying for School
At University of Arkansas, 45.8 percent of full-time undergraduates receive some kind of need-based financial aid and the average need-based scholarship or grant award is $6,939.
 

In-state tuition and fees	$7,818 (2013-14)
Out-of-state tuition and fees	$19,074 (2013-14)
Room and board	$9,042 (2013-14)